Car-coupling.



NO. 724,087. PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903.

T. I. DUFFY. CAR COUPLING. AFIeLwATmN FILED SEPT.17, 1900.

no MODEL.

ILTE L i 1750,2219 1. Duffy No. 724.087 PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903. T, I.DUFFY.

OAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1900.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

THOMAS I. DUFFY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A SSIGNOR TO EDWVIN J, HESS,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,087, dated March31, 1903. 7

Application filed September 17, 1900. Serial lilo. 30,211. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS-I. DUFFY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of-Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvementsin Gar-Couplers; andIdo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to car-couplers, and more particularly of thatclass designed for street and elevated railways and the like and knownas gravity-acting couplers.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and morefully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a street-car providedwith a coupler embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of adrawhead, partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectionof the same. Fig. 4 is'a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is acentral horizontal section of the same. Fig. 6 isa perspective view ofthe coupling-bar. ,7

As shown in said drawings, A indicates the draw-head, adapted to bepivoted on the car in any desired manner and provided at its outer endwith 'a socket adapted to receive one of the hooked endsb of thecoupling-bar B.

0 indicates a locking-block seated in the draw-head and provided with anaperture extending therethrough longitudinally of the draw head andcommunicating with the sockettherein. Saidlocking-blockisadapted toengage one of the hooks b on the end of the coupling-bar B when in itscoupled position.

The draw-head A may be of any desired form externally, the front orcoupling end of the same, however, preferably having the surfacesinclined inwardly to the socket the better to direct the coupling-bar toits locking position. Said draw-head is provided near its front or outerend with an aperture extending vertically therethrough adapted toreceive the locking-block O. This aperture, as shown, is rectangular tonear the bottom of the draw-head and is much smaller and cylindric inthe lower side or bottom of the drawhead. The locking-block, as shown,is rectangular in cross-section and fits closely within the rectangularpart 'of said aperture and is provided axially with a cylindricprojection 0, which extends through and below the bottom of thedraw-head. As shown, a spiral spring 0 is secured on said'projection,one

end of which engages the under side of the draw-head, the other end ofwhich engages a cotter-pin or other suitable device secured upon theprojection c. *Said spring acts to limit the vertical movement of thelockingblock and prevents upward creeping of the same due to the motionof the car and the draft on the coupling-bar.

The catches or hooks on the coupling-bar, as shown, are faced in thesame direction, and said coupling-bar enters the draw-head with thehooks directed upwardly. Said coupling-bar is slightly tapered at theends for the purpose of permitting the same to be more readilydirectedinto the socket in the draw- 1 head. The upper wall of theaperture through the locking-block O,which is continuous with the socketin the draw-head, inclines downwardly and rearwardly, as shown in Figs.2 and 3, complemental to the upper surface of the coupling-bar, adjacentto the hook, and, together with the vertical rear surface of thelocking-block, forms a shoulder for "engagement with the hook b.

' The operation of my device is as follows: The locking-bar beingsecured in one of the draw-heads and brought into engagement with thecomplemental draw-head of the coupler, the hooked end 17 engages theinclined surface in the locking-block, lifting said block against theaction of gravity and the spring 0' and passes through the same to theposition indicated in Fig. 3. As soon, however, as the hook has passedthrough the locking-block said block falls downwardly into its lockingposition,enga'ging the hook I) of the coupling-bar. pose the spring 0 isnot essential, inasmuch as gravity is sufficient to cause thelockingblock to fall to its locking position. The

spring, however, acts to prevent said locking-block from creepingupwardly when the car is in motion.

As a further improvement I have provided Obviously for this purmeans foroperating the locking-block from the platform of the car, therebyobviating the necessity of going between the cars in coupling. For thispurpose I have provided a lug c on the upper end of the locking-block,and I have connected therein one end of a chain 0 the other end of whichleads upwardly and is connected with the front end of the car inposition to be engaged by the conductor or motorman standing upon theplatform. Said chain is of sufficient length to permit sufficientlateral swing of the drawhead. By the use of said chain an operatorstanding upon the platform may readily swing the draw-head to thedesired position for coupling. When it is desired to uncouple, a sharpjerk orpull on the chain suflices to lift said locking-block, whichpermits the coupling-bar to be withdrawn therefrom. For the purpose ofpreventing the hook I) from catching within the draw-head after passingthe locking-block the inner upper angle of the draw-head is roundedover, as indicated at a.

Obviously many details of construction may be modified without departingfrom the principle of my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. A draw-head provided with an apertureextending vertically therethrough, an axial socket communicating withand extending beyond the vertical aperture and adapted to receive ahooked coupling-bar and hold it in position to engage its opposite endwith the draw-head of another car, a vertically-moving locking-blockfitting closely in said vertical aperture and having an apertureextending therethrough registering with the socket in the draw-head whenthe locking-block is in an elevated position, the upper wall of saidaperture and the rear side of the lockingblock forming an abrupt angleadapted to interlock with a coupling-bar when in its coupled positionand a centrally downwardly-extending projection on the locking-block anda spring engaged thereon which engages against the under side of thedraw-head thereby acting to hold the locking-block in its couplingposition.

per side a rectangular socket adapted to receive the closely-fittingupwardly-moving rectangular locking block, a rectangular apertureextending through the locking-block registering with the bottom and reartop sides of the socketin the draw-head when the locking-block is in itselevated position, the upper wall of the aperture having a downwardlyand rearwardly inclined surface forming an acute angle with the rearside of the lockingblock and adapted to interlock with the hooked end ofthe coupling-bar when inserted in the coupler, the bottom of saidaperture in the locking-block lying normally below the plane of theaxial socket in the drawhead and adapted to engage against the underside of the coupling-bar when the locking-block is elevated, therebylimiting the upward movement of said block.

3. The combination with a draw-head provided with an axial socketadapted to hold a coupling-bar with its axislying in the same line asthe axis of said socket and having an angular vertical socket in theupper side thereof which intersects the axial socket, an angulargravity-acting locking-block pro vided with a downwardly and rearwardlyinclined aperture registering below the socket in the draw-head when thelocking-block is in its coupled position and adapted to receive and belifted by the end of a coupling link or bar the bottom wall of saidaperture being adapted to engage against said link or bar when thelocking-block is in its elevated position thereby acting to limit theupward movement thereof and a spring engaging said coupling-block andacting normally to hold the same in its coupled position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS I. DUFFY.

In presence of- O. W. HILLS, LOUIS J. DELSON.

